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This warming Sweet Potato Chilli Coconut Soup is rich and flavoursome with a kick of chilli. This simple recipe is easy to follow and is made with creamy coconut milk for a delicious soup that’s completely vegan.
Made with wholesome ingredients, this sweet potato coconut and chilli soup provides a nutritious lunch that is perfect for cool winter and fall days.
Taking just 45 minutes to make from start to finish, it’s quick to make and uses budget-friendly, fresh ingredients.
This sweet potato chilli coconut soup freezes well making it a great soup for meal prep; you can easily double the recipe if you like to stock up!
Quick Links:
- The full recipe
- Ingredients
- Instructions: Step-by-step with photos
- Tips
- FAQs
- Other warming soup recipes to try
Success Tips
Before we get started with the step-by-step instructions, let’s go through some success tips so you can get the best results from this Sweet Potato Coconut Chilli Soup recipe:
- Put your coconut milk tins in the fridge. If you refrigerate tinned full-fat coconut milk, it separates the cream from the clear liquid underneath. We only want the cream in this recipe so refrigerating your tins makes it much easier to scoop this out.
- Simmer until the sweet potato is tender. Simmer the soup until you can easily push a fork or knife into the sweet potato chunks. This should take between 20-30 minutes depending on how small you’ve cut your sweet potatoes. Once the potato is tender, the soup is ready to cool slightly and then blend.
- Once the coconut milk has been added, warm gently. Warm the soup gently until the coconut milk has been stirred into the blended soup and the mixture is warm through. For best results, try not to let the soup boil.
- Add hot water or stock to thin. Once the soup has warmed through, check the thickness; if you prefer it a little thinner add more hot water or vegetable stock until it is the desired consistency.
- Storing. This soup stores wonderfully.
- To refrigerate, pop it in a Tupperware and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To freeze, we recommend using Souper Cubes, or individual airtight containers so that it can be frozen into portions. Defrost it in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat the soup, add it into a saucepan and heat gently until warm through. Due to the sweet potato, this soup tends to thicken once cooled so you may like to add some additional hot water or veg stock to thin the soup before serving.
How to make this Sweet Potato Chilli Coconut Soup
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients that you will need to make this sweet potato coconut and chilli soup recipe:
Olive oil. You can use coconut oil if you prefer.
Red onion. Peeled and diced.
Garlic. Peel and mince three cloves garlic.
Sweet potatoes. Peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks.
Red pepper. Deseeded and diced.
Chilli powder.
Seasoning. Salt and black pepper.
Coconut milk. The full fat tinned variety, or coconut cream if you can get it, to give you a creamy soup.
Equipment
You’ll need the following equipment, in addition to everyday kitchen utensils, to make this sweet potato coconut soup:
One large pan (at least a 3L large saucepan or soup pot)
A stick blender, hand blender or countertop high speed blender such as a Vitamix.
Instructions: Step-by-step
Make sure to head to the recipe card below for the full recipe and instructions on how to make this easy recipe.
1. Gather together your ingredients. Peel and dice the onion and sweet potato. Peel and mince the garlic. Deseed and dice the red peppers.
2. Fry the diced onion in the oil for 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
3. Add the diced sweet potato and red pepper along with the chilli powder, veg stock and seasoning.
Tip: This soup has a mild-medium chilli kick to it. If you prefer a particularly mild soup, you may like to use 1/4 tsp chilli powder rather than 1/2 tsp.
4. Simmer for 20-30 minutes over a medium high heat until the sweet potato is tender when you stick a knife or fork into it.
5. Let the soup cool until safe to blend and then carefully blend until smooth and transfer it back into the saucepan.
6. Add the coconut cream (just the thick bit from the top of two tins of full fat coconut milk).
7. Stir and let the mixture warm through over a low heat.
Tip: Reserve 2 tbsp of the coconut cream to swirl on top of the soup. Serve the hot soup with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a drizzle of sriracha chilli sauce if you like an extra chilli kick.
FAQs
Can I make it gluten free?
Yes, just check that all of your ingredients are gluten-free (particularly the stock and coconut milk).
Can I substitute the red pepper?
Ideally not. Orange bell pepper would also be ok but we don’t recommend substituting for yellow or green peppers because the flavour and colour would not be the same. The red pepper provides a natural sweetness to the soup.
Can I make this more/less spicy?
This sweet potato soup with coconut milk and chilli is made to have a mild-medium spice level, which can be amped up with the addition of sriracha sauce on serving.
- For a milder soup – Opt for 1/4 tsp chilli powder and omit the sriracha sauce on serving.
- For a spicier soup – If you’d like an extra spicy sweet potato soup, opt for a hot chilli powder and add a generous swirl of sriracha on serving (or chilli flakes). Alternatively, you could use 3/4 tsp chilli powder rather than 1/2 tsp but be careful – if your chilli powder is hot, the result could be particularly spicy!
Can I make this in the slow cooker?
Yes! Fry the onion and garlic in a small frying pan and then add this to the slow cooker along with the other ingredients (except the coconut cream). Cook for 4-6 hours until the sweet potato is tender and then blend, stir in the coconut cream and serve.
How many calories are in this soup?
This sweet potato chilli and coconut soup contains approximately 476 calories per serving.
How long does the soup last?
This soup will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes, this sweet potato chilli soup freezes well. Ideally, freeze in portions (try these Souper Cubes) and defrost in the fridge overnight. Warm in a saucepan and add a little hot water to thin the mixture if needed.
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Loved this Sweet Potato Coconut Chilli Soup? Here are some more warming soups to try:
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The Written Recipe:
Sweet Potato Chilli Coconut Soup (Vegan Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or coconut oil)
- 150 g red onion (approx 1 large, peeled and finely diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- 1.1 kg sweet potato (approx 3 medium, peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks (900g peeled weight))
- 3 red peppers (deseeded and diced)
- 750 ml vegetable stock (use gluten free if required)
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tins coconut milk (full fat) (2 x 400g (14oz) tins, which should give you approx 200g of thick white coconut cream at the top)
To Serve (optional):
- ½ lime (juice only)
- 3 tsp Sriracha or hot sauce
- 2 tbsp coconut cream (the thick bit from the top of a tin of full fat coconut milk)
Instructions
- Put your tins of coconut milk in the fridge, standing upright.
- Note: You want to do this for at least 1 hour before making your soup, but preferably overnight.
- In a large saucepan, fry the onion in the olive oil for 3 minutes over a medium heat until translucent.2 tbsp olive oil, 150 g red onion
- Add the minced garlic and fry for 2 more minutes.3 cloves garlic
- Add the diced sweet potato and red pepper along with the chiili powder, veg stock and seasoning.1.1 kg sweet potato, 3 red peppers, 750 ml vegetable stock, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender when you stick a knife into it.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and, once it's safe to do so, carefully blend the mixture until it is smooth. Transfer this back to the saucepan.
- Remove your tins of coconut milk from the fridge and, without shaking them, open them. Scoop the thick white part of the coconut milk out of the tin into the saucepan. Discard the clear liquid underneath or use it for another recipe.2 tins coconut milk (full fat)
- Note: You might like to reserve 2 tbsp of this cream for decorating the top of the soup, although this is optional.
- Stir and let the mixture warm through (approx 5 minutes). Don’t let the mixture boil).
- Taste and, if required, add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, a drizzle of sriracha chilli sauce and a swirl of coconut cream.1/2 lime, 3 tsp Sriracha or hot sauce, 2 tbsp coconut cream
Notes
Nutrition
Tara
Hi, I’m Tara! I’m taking you on a trip around the world in vegan cuisine and bringing the world’s most delicious dishes to your kitchen.
